Ecclestone senses 'vultures circling'

Apr.28 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone's troubles are continuing.

According to F1 business journalist Christian Sylt in the Telegraph, court papers in Munich show that, since the F1 chief executive divorced from his wife Slavica, she has paid him an incredible $100 million per year.

"The duration of the payments from the divorce decree is not known," the indictment confirmed.

Apart from demonstrating the 83-year-old's incredible wealth and income, the news could tie in with other reports of a 'secret' deal with the British tax office.

BBC current affairs programme Panorama claims that HM Revenue and Customs ended a long investigation into Ecclestone's tax affairs when the F1 supremo reached a $17 million settlement.

Ecclestone has claimed that he paid the alleged $44 million bribe to jailed Gerhard Gribkowsky not to affect the sale of the sport, but to stop the ex-banker from revealing details about his tax affairs to British authorities.

Ecclestone told the Times: "It feels as though the vultures are circling. The trouble is that vultures are usually around for dead people and I am very much alive."

He insists there is nothing sinister about his British tax affairs.

"I could control the business from anywhere I like," said Ecclestone. "I could go to Monaco or Switzerland and still run F1 quite happily. I don't."